History of Shelby County, Kentucky Written, Compiled and Edited By George L. Willis, Sr. Published in 1929, George Lee Willis, Sr’s History of Shelby County, Kentucky is an invaluable aid when researching and writing about the county’s beginnings. He stated, “The paramount purpose of the book is to preserve for posterity what was so rapidly … History of Shelby County, Kentucky
Kentucky’s first and only woman governor
Original Land Surveys Due to his extensive research, author and historian Neal O. Hammon is considered the expert in information on Kentucky land claims. He spent countless hours poring over records and producing maps of the area covered by the land claims, such as these in our collections. Such original records were created by surveyors … Original Land Surveys
Depositions From The Shelby County Land Records These early Shelby County land records were prepared by Shelby County Historical Society members Neal Hammon and Charles Long, Editors, on January 20, 1998. As shown, the records of Shelby County, Kentucky contain a number of depositions by some of Kentucky’s first pioneers, mainly pertaining to land claims … Depositions From The Shelby County Land Records
Wakefield Scearce Gallery On September 12th, 1949, the Wakefield Scearce Galleries held their grand opening in the old Science Hill Chapel, welcoming two thousand people from eleven states. It began as a dream for Mark Scearce and Mark Wakefield that became a reality after Mr. Scearce traveled to Europe for the acquisition of fine silver … Wakefield Scearce Gallery
Tick Creek Massacre Bland Williams Ballard had an adventurous life. He fought in the Revolutionary War as a teenager and served as a Scout in numerous expeditions with George Rogers Clark, when Ohio was still a territory and Kentucky was an extension of Virginia. He was an escort during the Long Run Massacre, and he … Tick Creek Massacre
“The Old Sexton’s Story”, from Where Silent Tents Are Spread George Lee Willis, 1932 “The man who knew most and could tell most to one searching among the seven thousand mounds for history [at Grove Hill Cemetery], has himself passed on. He was Frederick Moesser, the remarkable personage who was sexton for the forty-four years … The Old Sexton’s Story, Frederick Moesser
Jeff King, “The most handsome and also the worst young man in Shelby County.” Jeff King grew up on a farm in Shelby County. In 1822, he decided to work his way to New Orleans, LA, as a laborer on a barge traveling down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. It wasn’t long after Jeff reached … Jeff King, “The most handsome and also the worst young man in Shelby County.”
How the Dust Bowl Affected Shelby County The Dust Bowl of the 1930’s was not isolated to the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma. Atmospheric conditions and soil erosion affected agriculture all the way to the eastern seaboard. Ben Allen Thomas, Sr. wrote about the impact to Shelby County farmers in, “As I Recall It”, and … How the Dust Bowl Affected Shelby County
T.S. Baxter First African American City Councilman in Shelbyville Thomas Samuel Baxter was most likely born into slavery in 1843, as he did not appear in a Census record until he was twenty-seven years old. In the 1850 U.S. Census Slave Schedules, there were several slaveholders named Thomas Baxter throughout Kentucky. One Thos. C. Baxter … T.S. Baxter